NEW TO BLACKBERRY

Friend offered to purchase a Samsung Galaxy Y. I wasn't impressed with the reviews about it, so i opted for the Blackberry 9860. I was trying to get as close to the current one as possible. Of course, I understand nothing about the blackberry. I always have to wind up giving my friends back the phone so they can just do what I want done on it, or at least show me where to go. That said, you get that I am a complete newbie. Here's the thing, I had the phone purchased, via friend with a card, and it is supposed to get to me by this coming Wednesday. I happened to just be browsing a while ago, and met upon something about OS 10, as opposed to OS 7, which I am expecting to be on the phone when it arrives. I know what is the job of the OS, but it would want to seem as if I wasted time, effort, and resources into acquiring a brand new phone with a low OS (from other posts in a forum that I read). I imagine the phone will work fine, but what I wanna know is whether or not the OS can be updated. That is my first question. Can the OS be upgraded any higher, and still have the operations functioning tolerably?

My second question concerns the ability to use Skype on it. I am not necessarily a person who talks alot via those platforms. I would just rather text, or call the traditional way. However, I do find myself requiring it from time to time. I read where it apparently doesn't exist for blackberry, outside of Verizon. I do not live in the States, so that would be of no benefit to me. Can someone please help set these records straight? Please, and thank you.

The 9860 can currently be updated to OS 7.1. It will never be able to update to the new OS 10. However, BlackBerry has said they will continue to support OS 7 devices with updates. We assume that there will be an OS 8 and that OS will trend to be more like OS 10. Keep in mind, OS 10 is superior in many regards. If you want all of the latest and greatest, I would recommend selling your 9860 and getting the new BlackBerry Z10.

Skype is currently only available to Verizon subscribers with legacy BlackBerry devices, and I don't know if it will come to other OS 7 devices in the future. But what we do know is that Skype has been confirmed to be coming to BlackBerry 10. Another reason for you to get the new Z10 smartphone.